Method for widening and removing crown from strip stock



March 22, 1966 c. L. sPoRcK 3,241,349

METHOD FOR WIDENING AND REMOVING CROWN FROM STRIP STOCK Filed Oct. 5, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ww 'l i z ATTORNEYS March 22, 1966 c. L. SPORCK 3,241,349

METHOD FOR WIDENING AND REMOVING CROWN FROM STRIP STOCK Filed Oct. 5, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY yEN OR MFO ATTQRNEYS United States Patent 3 241 349 METHOD non wniENiNG AND REMOVING CROWN FnoM STRIP STOCK Claus L. Spot-ck, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to The Lodge & Shipley Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Oct. 3, 1963, Ser. No. 313,645 2 Claims. (Cl. 72-366) copending application 206,411, filed June 29, 1962, now

Patent No. 3,138,982, issued June 30, 1964.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide methods for converting conventionally rolled strip stock into strip which is of precise thickness and/or of substantial width. The precise thickness eliminates crown.

The methods of the invention utilize the incremental reduction concept disclosed in the above-mentioned applications. The manner in which the present invention is performed, however, results in several important advantages, such as, for example, minimizing the size of the reducing mill so as to lower equipment cost and save in floor space, permitting the off-coil equipment for the conventional strip and the on-coil equipment for the worked strip to be located closely adjacent to the reducing mill and thereby saving considerable floor space and providing for the rolling to be carried out at a relative high strip feed rate.

The invention contemplates wrapping a piece of conventionally rolled strip in a helical fashion around a cylindrically-shaped mandrel. The mandrel is rotatable and when the strip is moved in translation, successive portions of the strip move into the wrap-around condition. A plurality of rollers surround the mandrel in the wrap-around area, the rollers being mounted on framing providing for the rollers to rotate in unison around the mandrel. Each roller engages and works the strip along a diagonal path from edge to edge. By coordinating the rotational speed of the rollers and the translatory motion of the strip, the rollers are made to successively roll across the face of the strip and successively engage and reduce adjacent areas on the strip. The rolling process widens the strip and provides the same with precise thickness dimension.

The manner in which the invention is practiced will be described below in connection with the following drawin-gs wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a typical mill for reducing the strip;

FIGURE 2 is a plan sectional view of the roller arrangement used with the mill of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a strip wrapped around a conically shaped mandrel.

With reference to FIGURE 1, the mill has a base 1, a central standard 2 and out-board standards 3 and 4. A cylindrically-shaped mandrel 5 extends through the open centered standard 2 and is supported by the outboard standards 3 and 4 for rotation about the axis A. The mandrel is adapted to be rotated through gearing (not shown) in the standard 4 and connected to the drive shaft 6. The shaft 6 is connected to a drive mechanism not shown. Within the central standard 2 are the rollers R disposed in the frame 9 (FIGURE 2) rotatably mounted by bearings 10. The bearing structure 11 rotatably supports each roller within the frame 9. The frame is rotated by a bull gear 13 driven by a pinion 14 connected ice to the shaft 15 which is rotated by a drive mechanism not shown.

A strip S is wrapped around the man-drel 5. The strip enters the mill at 16 and leaves the mill at 17. The strip is adapted to be moved in translation and as the strip moves through the mill, successive portions of the strip assume the wrap-around condition.

The portions of the strip entering and leaving the mill lie in the same plane so that the strip in its wrap-around condition makes a 360 contact with the mandrel. The exact amount of contact, however, can vary depending on the angle (a) at which the strip enters and leaves the mill and the disposition of the rollers R.

The mechanism for moving the strip in translation includes tension means to keep the strip taut together with off-coil and on-coil means. Such mechanism is of conventional design.

In certain instances the strip drive has the tendency to cause the strip to creep axially along the spindle. This is prevented by appropriate strip abutment shoulders on the mandrel and/or ingoing and outgoing guide rollers. For the sake of clarity, I have not shown such devices.

From an inspection of FIGURES 1 and 2, it will be apparent that each roller orbits around the wrap-around area and in contacting the strip, moves across the face of the strip from one edge to the opposite edge in a diagonal fashion. By coordinating the feed rate of the strip and the rotational speed of the rollers, each successive roller is made to engage the strip and move across in the same diagonal manner. All of the roller paths are parallel. As a roller moves across a strip, of course, it reduces the portion rolled to the desired dimension. The reduction causes expansion of the strip. The expansion takes place in the plane of the strip and in a direction which is normal to the path of roller motion. The first roller to engage the strip rolls down a groove and then each successive roller widens the groove. From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the technique employs the incremental reduction concept as disclosed in the above-mentioned copending applications.

In lieu of the cylindrically shaped mandrel, the invention contemplates a mandrel conical in shape. This is illustrated in FIGURE 3 where it will be seen that a conical shaped mandrel 20 supports a strip S-1 in wraparound condition. One of the principal advantages of the conical shaped mandrel is that it prevents axial creep of the strip. Furthermore, by mounting the conical mandrel so that it is axially adjustable, the space between the working surfaces of the roller and the mandrel surface can be quickly and easily altered.

I claim:

1. The method of widening metal strip stock and providing precise thickness dimension therein, comprising the steps of:

taking a piece of strip stock;

wrapping the strip over a cylindrically-shaped mandrel;

moving the strip in translation so that portions of the strip successively assume the wrap condition;

while moving the strip, working the same by rolling a groove across the face of the section of the strip in the wrap condition, the rolling of the groove causing the portion rolled to be reduced to the desired thickness dimension and also causing the strip to expand in the plane of the strip and in a direction normal to the groove;

continuing with said working by rolling the strip adjacent first said groove to effect an increase in width of first said groove, the increase in width being substantially less than the width of the: strip, the rolling causing the portion rolled to be reduced to the de- 3 sired thickness dimension and also causing the strip to expand in the plane of the strip and in a direction normal to the groove; and continuing With said working by repeating said second step successively on respectively adjacent areas of the strip to continue said groove widening and strip expansion. 2. The method of Widening metal strip stock and procontinuing with said working by rolling the strip adjacent first said groove to effect an increase in Width of first said groove, the increase in width being substantially less than the Width of the strip, the rolling causing the portion rolled to be reduced to the desired thickness dimension and also causing the strip to expand in the plane of the strip and in a direction normal to the groove; and

continuing with said Working by repeating said second step successively on respectively adjacent areas of the strip to continue said groove Widening and strip expansion.

viding precise thickness dimension therein, comprising the steps of: 10

taking a piece of strip stock; wrapping the strip over a tapered mandrel; moving the strip in translation so that portions of the strip successively assume the wrap condition; References Cited by the Examiner while moving the strip, working the same by rolling a 15 UNITED STATES PATENTS groove across the face of the section of the strip in of 24122; 23-23 1 d i the POFUOII r0 1 o e reduced to the desired thick 2,367,226 1/1945 Lonsdale S0 60 ness dimension and also causing the strip to expand in the plane of the strip and in a direction normal to 20 CHARLES W LANHAM Primar Examiner the groove; y 

1. THE METHOD OF WIDENING METAL STRIP STOCK AND PROVIDING PRECISE THICKNESS DIMENSION THEREIN, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: TAKING A PIECE OF STRIP STOCK; WRAPPING THE STRIP OVER A CYLINDRICALLY-SHAPED MANDREL; MOVING THE STRIP IN TRANSLATION SO THAT PORTIONS OF THE STRIP SUCCESSIVELY ASSUME THE WRAP CONDITION; WHILE MOVING THE STRIP, WORKING THE SAME BY ROLLING A GROOVE ACROSS THE FACE OF THE SECTION OF THE STRIP IN THE WRAP CONDITION, THE ROLLING OF THE GROOVE CAUSING THE PORTION ROLLED TO BE REDUCED TO THE DESIRED THICKNESS DIMENSION AND ALSO CAUSING THE STRIP TO EXPAND IN THE PLANE OF THE STRIP AND IN A DIRECTION NORMAL TO THE GROOVE; CONTINUING WITH SAID WORKING BY ROLLING THE STRIP ADJACENT FIRST SAID GROOVE TO EFFECT AN INCREASE IN WIDTH OF FIRST SAID GROOVE, THE INCREASE IN WIDTH BEING SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THE WIDTH OF THE STRIP, THE ROLLING CAUSING THE PORTION ROLLED TO BE REDUCED TO THE DESIRED THICKNESS DIMENSION AND ALSO CAUSING THE STRIP TO EXPAND IN THE PLANE OF THE STRIP AND IN A DIRECTION NORMAL TO THE GROOVE; AND CONTINUING WITH SAID WORKING BY THE REPEATING SAID SECOND STEP SUCCESSIVELY ON RESPECTIVELY ADJACENT AREAS OF THE STRIP TO CONTINUE SAID GROOVE WIDENING AND STRIP EXPANSION. 